lllea Cousland: From Teryna's daughter to queller of the blight
by eonalean998
Summary: Illea Cousland is the daughter of the Teryn of Highever. She is engaged and feels no need to become a Grey Warden, but what happens when circumstance forces her to become one? This is her story of love, loss, betrayal, and friendship. (Contains major spoilers)
1. Chapter 1

1

Illea Cousland flitted down the halls of her home. The Highever Castle was eerie in the dark to a person who did not know where they were going, but having lived there for her whole 16 years she knew the Castle as few others could claim. She ran to her family's wing and slipped into her bedroom. She had just sat onto a stool to check her wounds when her brother barged into her room. Fergus looked like her father at that moment with concern written on his face, and then he went into lecture mode. He lectured her for half an hour and finally after she could not take the throbbing of her left side anymore she growled through her teeth and removed her leather armor. She raised her shirt and assessed her wounds; it was not too bad considering there had been six bandits attacking her.

Her ribcage had a narrow, but deep slice all the way down them, she had a shallow cut on her stomach and her shoulder was dislocated. She was sure the blades had poison on them that they had attacked her with so she needed her pack to get a health potion down her. When Fergus just stood there gaping like a fish she addressed him "If you want to help go get bandages and my pack if not I will go get them myself." He ran off to get bandages from his room and as he came back in her room, he grabbed her pack off the far wall. He immediately began pouring a health potion over the gash in her ribs. Then, he wrapped her ribs and did the same with the gash in her stomach. "This is going to hurt," he said warningly. She heard the pop that signaled her shoulder was back in place, and then she felt the pain that came along with a relocated shoulder. After the pain subsided, she walked over to her bed, slid under the covers, and almost immediately fell asleep. Before the Fade took her, she heard her brother say "Goodnight sister" as he closed the door to her room.

When she woke up to the sun beaming down in her face, she let out a stream of curses in every language she knew. She looked in the mirror and grimaced at her appearance. Her long silver hair had come out of its braid and her hunting clothes had large rips and holes. She sat at the vanity and started slowly trying to get the tangles out of her hair. When that was done, she changed in to a light silver dress that stopped at her knees. She looked into the mirror and was satisfied with her appearance. Her silver eyes gazed back at her showing no sign of last night's ordeal. Her hair was down and free since she could not do her hair with one arm. Her whole side was still hurting as she set out for the dining room.

When she sat down her left side started pulsing with pain and she had to grit her teeth not to scream. Her mother was looking at her like she was crazy and Nate, the whole reason her left side was hurting, hell even the whole reason she had been out in the woods where the bandits were, looked like he was about to die from holding in the laughter. She kicked him in the thigh and he stopped looking amused knowing where she would kick next.

Breakfast was uneventful since no one really felt like talking because pressing thoughts were on their minds. As they all exited the dining room, she headed to her room content to sit in comfort rather than explain why she could not do anything. When she reached her room, she sank down on to the bed and let out a sigh of contentment. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Nate smirking in the doorway like the devil himself. "How are you feeling, love?" "Oh like I was beaten by about six bandits and I have an odd feeling it was my lover who led me there, it's a very refreshing feeling I assure you" came her sarcastic reply.

He walked over to the bed and sat down beside her. His icy blue eyes met hers, she saw his regret, and she felt a little bad for saying that. He leaned in closer to her and lightly pressed his lips to hers. She tangled her hand in his hair and the other hand was on his cheek. She slipped her tongue into his mouth and let the kiss deepen. He pulled back and whispered "Tonight, it's a bit early to that frisky, love."

He pulled her off the bed and stood her in the center of her room. He was nervous but he decided to go for it. He got down on one knee and pulled a small, square box out of his pocket. He opened it and inside was a gold band with a diamond as wide as her middle finger, and as long as the top joint of her pinky. "I love you I always will, will you Illea Mythene Cousland, do me the honor of becoming my wife, becoming Mrs. Nathaniel Howe, and making the happiest man in existence?" She had tears of joy coming down her face and she immediately pulled him to his feet, put the ring on her ring finger and kissed him with all the happiness she had.

She thought back on the year he had been staying at her Castle. They had always been friends since childhood, but she had assumed he had been at her home for another reason. All the memories she had of Nathaniel were filled with happiness and love. She knew that this was not a mistake and he was coincidentally saving her from her mother's matchmaking efforts.

She happily went in search of her mother while Nathaniel followed her. She found her whole family together in the main hall sitting around the fire. She pushed him to the front of the room and followed him to stand in front of her family in front of the fireplace. They all looked up from what they had been doing and gazed at them expectantly. Nathaniel was the one that started by saying "I know this wasn't proper, but I asked Illea to marry me and she accepted, we would like your blessing, but we will proceed with or without it. So I respectfully ask you to overlook the breach of protocol and accept what has happened and support us."

Her family had mixed reactions her mother looked exited, whereas her father and brother looked comical with multiple reactions crossing their faces in one second. Finally, her father stood and said, "You have my blessing, albeit this is rather sudden, I for one thought you were just friends." Nate snickered at that thinking of what they had done so many times under their oblivious noses. Illea realized where his thoughts were going and smashed his foot with hers so he would not say something they did not need to know.

Her mother stood and said, "You have my blessings and more than that you have my gratitude, Nathaniel. I thought she was going to be impossible to marry off." Everyone laughed at that and Illea thought to herself, leave it to mother to lighten the mood. Her brother and father took Nathaniel off to begin his bachelor party as they had decided to be married in the next two weeks. It would be a small private wedding just their families, them, and a priest to marry them. Her mother, Illea herself and, Oriana, Fergus' wife stood in the main hall of the estate. "So are you ready to start looking at dresses?" Oriana looked to Illea who did not look too pleased but relented when her mother agreed also.

They informed the guards to tell their missing husbands that they have gone to Denerim for a week. They set out on horseback deciding the carriage would take too long. Illea had changed into her leather armor, had her swords at her waist, and had her longbow on her back. Her mother had scowled when she saw her but otherwise did not say anything.

It took them the whole day but they would only have to ride a few hours in the morning to reach Denerim. As they sat around the campfire, Illea noticed Oriana looking at her funny so she asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?" Oriana looked a bit sheepish when she asked that but answered regardless "I am wondering why you are armed, we are in no danger, and surely you don't know how to use such barbaric killing tools." Illea looked at her in disbelief when she realized she was serious. She started chuckling darkly, and when they started looking at her funny, she stopped and turned serious. "We are three females that are obviously nobles so we are targets for bandits. In addition, yes I know how to use such barbaric killing tools as you call them. You're from Antiva the whole place is crawling with poison and assassins and yet you're scared of weapons, no wonder you had to come to Ferelden you must have stuck out there very horribly."

Oriana looked a bit squeamish after that so Illea went to her bedroll and turned her back to them to see if they would gossip as she expected. She was not disappointed about five minutes of her fake sleeping her mother Eleanor Cousland finally spoke "Why did you say that Oriana, you could have asked me, now you might just get to see how well she uses those blades." "I was curious and why is she so defensive about it. I only asked a question?" Oriana attempted to defend herself.

Eleanor sighed and debated whether to tell her why or just fall on her bedroll. "She was taught to fight with blades by Nathaniel Howe and that's how they met. It was the only thing she did she enjoyed. I was trying to get her to be a proper woman and Bryce and Fergus did not know she had an aptitude for blades and had never considered it. Well one day they had just finished sparring and they had been seeing each other for a while, we didn't know, they were kissing goodbye, and I saw so I showed myself and well after a long argument I forbade her from sword fighting or seeing him.

She was furious, so that night she arranged for him to meet her at the gates and they were going to run away together. In the woods bandits caught, Illea, Nathaniel, and they killed every one of them, so they continued and saw the true bandit camp and they had already spotted them and they were overwhelmed. Nathaniel was rendered unconscious after they had wiped out about half and she killed the rest in a rage thinking he was dead. After she saw he was alive, they somehow made it back to the castle and she realized she might have to save someone again and she refused to give it up and he kept teaching her. He also taught her how to use a bow. Therefore, we all learned to accept it. Now I'm going to sleep we have a long day tomorrow." With that, she turned over and almost immediately fell asleep. Oriana followed suit and fell asleep thinking about all she had learned.

Illea had never told her mother she had not killed the bandits with her blades but with her magic. No one knew but her, Nathaniel, and only him by accident. She had literally exploded them all with the raw power coming off her. Unlike what she thought would happen he had not been scared but had asked if she could heal as well as she could kill. The only reason he had lived was that she had healed him the whole way back to the castle. No one knew he had almost died, they just thought he had suffered minor wounds and gotten hit on the head.

She had known she had magic since she was a child but had always kept it hidden for fear of The Circle taking her away from her family. If she would have gone she could not have inherited a title, but her brother would get it, anyway that is not why she did not want to go. She did not want to lose her family or her freedom and that is why she did not tell anyone she was a mage. She never drank lyrium or even got near it so it would easily remain hidden. Illea shook the dark thoughts away, rolled over, and immediately fell asleep.

Illea was the first to wake up, and decided to let them sleep a few more minutes while she pulled up camp. After she had put out the fire, untied the horses and had them ready to ride she woke her mother and Oriana up. An hour later, they were getting on their horses and ready to ride to Denerim. Illea was in the front on her horse Daedric, Oriana was in the middle, and Eleanor was in the back. They got to Denerim within two hours of leaving camp because of Illea's furious pace. When they got there, they went to the family's manor in the Market District so they could rest and bathe before they went looking for her a wedding dress.

Illea let them argue over who would take first bath and went to her room and started taking off her armor. When she finally had it fully removed, she was only in tight leather pants, a leather shirt that stopped at the top of her ribcage and hardened leather boots. When she walked out, she grabbed a cloth and wiped her face with it, while she did that she announced to her companions "I am going to The Gnawed Noble, anyone want to come with me?" When they both shook their heads no, she went for the door. "Shouldn't you wear more clothing my dear?" her mother asked. That reminded her to grab her weapons and put her daggers on her thighs. "Thank you for reminding me to get my weapons." Her mother sighed and she sent her a smirk and walked out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

AN/ I am so sorry I haven't posted so I will probably be posting every day or every other day for a few weeks. My computer literally refused to let me on the internet so here's the next chapter hope you enjoy and reviews are loved and criticism is welcome.

The walk to the tavern was uneventful until she was a few streets away from there. She bumped into someone while she was lost in thought, when she pulled back she saw he was taller than she was by half a head. He had dirty-blonde hair, light green eyes and he was stammering out an apology. She just laughed it off and asked, "What's your name, pretty boy?" "Alistair and what's yours?" "Illea, let's go I think you owe me a drink for running into me." Alistair just smiled goofily and followed her to the tavern. When they arrived, she had to let her eyes adjust to the low lights. When she could see properly, she found a booth in a corner and she waved Alistair over who had lost her when she went for the booth.

A few minutes after he had got them two ales, a man walked over and started flirting with Illea. She calmly told him to go away and when he persisted, she showed him her hand with the engagement ring on it and he left very quickly. "You're married! How did you forget to mention that?" "You never asked and for the record I'm engaged. Also I'm here looking for a dress, so no fiancée will kill you for having a drink with me, so sit." She smiled and he reluctantly sat down across from her again.

A man then walked up and Alistair looked up "Duncan I thought you were going to meet me back at the room later tonight?" He looked shocked to see the older man there and what made it funny was the way his face looked while saying that. She let out a low laugh and the older man realized that someone was with Alistair at the booth. "And who is this, one of your newest drinking buddies?" Before Alistair could stammer, anything out Illea had answered for him. "My name is Illea and I assume yours is Duncan, nice to meet you." Duncan looked surprised to say the least to hear her lightly accented voice. She had spent a lot of time with the Dalish and had learned to speak their language. She also had adopted a few of their customs and she already had their attitude so she they had accepted her rather quickly. "My Lady Cousland, forgive me for not noticing who you were sooner." Duncan said as he bowed. She hurriedly raised him up from his bow and said "No problem, but please don't act like I'm a noble here, Duncan." He sat by Alistair in the booth and ordered them another round.

The evening went much like this until Alistair finally convinced her to dance on a table as a dare. She started dancing a Dalish dance and Alistair looked enraptured with how she moved. When she finished she jumped of the table and into Alistair's arms. The door to the tavern had opened while she had been dancing but she had assumed it had been more people seeking to drown in ale. Therefore, she was thoroughly surprised when she felt Alistair tighten his arms around her when she heard a vaguely familiar voice yelling at her.

When she finally got most of the blurriness from her vision, she saw Nathaniel, Fergus, and her father arguing with Alistair. She stood up and said, "Hey I thought you guys were back in Highever guess I was wrong. Want to sit down to a drink with me?" Nathaniel looked beyond mad and he looked tempted to run someone through with his sword. "No you are coming back with us away from them." He grabbed her arm and she yanked it back. "Nathaniel, I will stay as long as I wish you are not my husband yet and I will gladly fight you. Why are you being like this it's harmless drinking and you've certainly done worse than this."

While Nathaniel was about to spit venom she leaned over to Alistair and whispered in his ear "Well meet my fiancée, who can't hurt a fly." Alistair laughed and Nathaniel snapped. He walked over to her and punched her in the jaw as hard as he could. She hit her knees from the force of the blow and she saw Alistair step in front of her and smash his fist into Nathaniel's face. After a brief argument, which she could not hear because of the ringing in her ears, Nathaniel, Fergus, and her father left leaving her with Duncan and Alistair, she felt hot tears rolling down her face and she knew that they might not be looking for a wedding dress now. She got up and sat back in the booth to nurse her aching jaw and her ale.

After a few minutes, she agreed to let them walk her home and explain everything to everyone. When they reached her family's manor, she walked in and went straight to her room refusing to meet their eyes.

After a while, they stopped talking and she heard a rapping at her door. "Go away!" she yelled at her door. "No Illea I will not" Nathaniel replied. "I will not speak to you so you best send someone I will talk to." She heard him stomp away from the door and yell he gave up. She lay down on her bed and heard a shifting sound in the lock then a click.

Duncan and Alistair came in and then shut the door behind them. "So what happened?" They both looked regretful but in the end, Duncan answered, "Nathaniel is mad, but I believe he will realize his error soon and repent for it, but you must allow him. He truly loves you, but everyone makes mistakes Illea." She smiled sadly and then let the smile drop when she felt a twinge of pain shoot through her cheek and jaw and it was replaced with a scowl when she thought of who did this to her. "We'll meet again Illea," Duncan said as he gave her a sad smile and walked out.

She flopped back on her bed and fell asleep almost immediately. She was jolted from sleep abruptly when she heard a knocking on her door. "Come in" she muttered and Nathaniel walked in looking like a kicked puppy dog. "I'm sorry for everything today Illea, you know I love you I would never hurt you but I'm so afraid all this is just a dream and that when something happens I'll wake up or you'll realize that you can do so much better than me." He took a breath to continue but she stopped him with a hard kiss. When she pulled back, she whispered breathlessly "This isn't a dream and you were meant for me I don't question that and neither should you." He smiled against her lips and that night he proved just how much he loved her.


	3. Chapter 3

When she woke up she was sleeping on Nathaniel's chest and she just curled her body closer and fell back asleep. He stirred beneath her and she cracked her eye open and when she saw he was awake she lightly smacked him on his head and muttered sleepily "Stay still, I need some sleep since we were a bit busy last night." He snickered then abruptly turned toward the door where Fergus stood gaping just like the night he had seen Illea's wounds. Nathaniel sighed and said, "Well they were going to find out soon enough but I'm surprised they haven't realized much earlier." Illea laughed and she found herself agreeing with him, they were not exactly discreet. "Brother we need to get dressed so scat." He walked out of the door in a daze and shut the door behind him.

She hopped up and took Nathaniel's shirt before he could reach it and put it on over her head. Then she threw on her pants and ran out the door while Nathaniel chased after her with just his pants on. She laughed as she ran around the table and he almost caught her. She saw Fergus walk in with her mother and father trailing closely behind. They looked scandalized when they saw Nathaniel shirtless then realized he wasn't doing it on purpose he was just trying to get his shirt back from her. "Go get another shirt I have dibs on this one." Nathaniel sighed, but relented and showed back up a minute later in a new black shirt.

"Well I am going to go look for a wedding dress today do you two want to help?" Illea asked indicating Oriana and Eleanor. They nodded their assent and she went and sat in Nathaniel's lap. They had a peaceful breakfast then Oriana and Eleanor had to go get dressed to go with her to look for a dress. When they came out fifteen minutes later, Illea had not moved from Nathaniel's lap and she was reluctant to get up. They finally convinced her to give up her seat and before she walked out the door, she pouted at Nathaniel and mouthed, "Help me."

The first shop they went in to all the dresses were not what she was looking for. At the second shop, she found the dress she fell in love with. It was a dark green and had long tight sleeves. The bottom belled out just enough for her to walk comfortably. She also saw slits in the fabric under the heavy top layer that made movement possible, but the most exquisite part of the dress was the designs that wove down the arms, circled the waist, and continued down the side of the skirt. They were gold, silver, and depicted flowers, rabbits, halla, and hunters adorned in flowing garments. The dress was eighty gold pieces but her mother paid it happily.

When they arrived at the manor, they announced they would be leaving the next morning. Illea went into her room and put the dress in the armoire, since her mother had too much in her closet. She wanted to go to The Gnawed Noble Tavern, but she knew after last night they would not let her go. Therefore, she climbed down the ivy from her window and made her way to the tavern without incident.

When she opened the door, she immediately looked for Alistair and to her surprise; he was sitting at the same booth they had occupied last night. She walked over to him and sat across the table from him. He looked up and smiled when he saw her. She could tell by the way that his eyes glazed that he was drunk. After a while, he had stopped drinking but he kept buying rounds for her.

When the band started playing, he pulled her out to dance with him. For a drunken person he danced very well. A slow song came on and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laid her head on his chest. When the song ended, Alistair put his hand underneath her chin and tilted her head up. The next thing she knew his lips were on hers and he was so different compared to Nathaniel she did not pull away. He somehow carried her to his room in the tavern, and the rest of the night was a blur.

When Illea woke up the next morning, she felt a warm presence beside her, but when she rolled over, she was face to face with beautiful hazel eyes. She sat up quickly and clutched the sheet around herself. "What happened?" she asked hesitantly because she was afraid of the answer. "I honestly don't remember, but I think we licked the lamppost if you get my meaning." Alistair replied while keeping his head down. By the tone of his voice, she knew he was ashamed of himself. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek to reassure him.

"I have to go, don't tell anyone about this please." He smiled and shook his head yes. "Alistair I don't blame you for this it was an accident. I'll see you again I promise." With those words, she left the room fully clothed and trying to think of a lie to tell her family. She walked back to the Manor and the second she walked in the door she was face to face with a very angry Nathaniel. "Sorry to worry you I passed out at the tavern." He sighed and she saw the anger drain out of him right before he hugged her to his chest.

"I have to go change. I'll be out in a second." She walked back to her room and bolted the door. She walked over to the mirror and she was surprised they had not noticed the numerous hickeys and love bites she had. She easily covered that by changing into a shirt that had a high collar. Her pants were tight enough so they would not get in the way if she had to fight. She stared into the mirror and braided her hair, then turned around and strapped her swords to her waist, put her longbow on her back, and put her knives in the sheaths on her thighs.

When she finally felt more like herself, she pulled open the door and walked into the sitting room. They all looked up when she entered and her hands immediately went to her collar. When she was reassured that they could not see the marks she walked over to the chair by Nathaniel and sat down in it. Her mother Eleanor raised an eyebrow at her appearance, but did not say a word. "Shouldn't we be leaving right now?" Illea asked when they would not stop staring at her.

"We were debating about that before you came back in. We would like to leave so you can't go back drinking, but we are worried you aren't in a state to ride." Her father answered. "I can ride and if we don't leave I will go drinking again." She shrugged her shoulders when her parents gaped at her. "Then we are leaving immediately." her mother, Eleanor said. "We have to pack." Oriana pointed out and her mother gestured for her to hurry up.

While Nathaniel packed their things, she slipped out of the window and wandered around the market. She saw Alistair stumbling out of the tavern and ran over to him. He looked up, saw her and started trying to walk the other direction. Ignoring the twinge in her heart, she caught up to him and threw his arm over her shoulder. "I thought you were leaving today." He managed to slur out. "I am, but I wanted to tell you something first. I see in your future great pain, burdens and, responsibility. I am greatly entwined in your future. We will see each other again never doubt that." He smiled sadly down at her, then picked her up and kissed her. When he sat her back down, she watched him walk away and remembered her dream. It had shown his future and what she had told him was true.

When she arrived back at the Manor, everyone was packed and ready to go. All she did was get on her horse and guide him ahead of everyone else. When they were outside of the city gates, she urged him to go faster. She heard them calling her name, but she needed Keeper Marethari's advice. She knew they would stop for the night, but she would keep going since they were close to the clan.

Illea slid off Daedric's' sweaty back and after digging around in her pack; she found a piece of parchment. She wrote that she was with her clan and would return the day before the wedding. She slid part of her body into the Fade and used her magic to tell Daedric to go back to Nathaniel. After she watched him run until she could no longer see him, she set off into the forest.

As she ran, she called upon her magic fully for the first time in her life and used it to sense where the Dalish were. She ran in that direction until she saw the aravels only then did she slow down. The Keeper met her at the edge of the firelight, caught her in her arms, and held her as she broke down. When she had cried herself out, Marethari guided Illea to the aravel they kept prepared for her and laid her on the soft bed inside of the aravel.


	4. Chapter 4

When she woke up to soft sunlight pouring through the doorway, she was immediately at peace. Well, that was until Lenya, Tamlen, Merril, and Fenarel came bursting through her door. Lenya was beautiful in every way imaginable, even with her Vallaslin. She had soft blonde hair that went down her back, pale icy blue eyes and a small lithe body that could disembowel you in a second. Tamlen was ordinary to the elves. He had mousy brown hair and cobalt blue eyes. Merril had short black hair and innocent green eyes. Fenarel had light brown hair and gorgeous, pale blue eyes. They were her best friends and they always seemed to get her in trouble. "Marethari wishes to see you, and we have gifts for you," Lenya said as she shooed Tamlen and Fenarel out. "This is my personal gift to you." She held up a beautiful white gown with long sleeves and it would barely brush the ground on Illea.

After Lenya and Merril helped her, into her dress, she went to grab her boots but Merril stopped her and held out a pair of white boots that would go perfectly with her dress. "This is my gift to you," she said as she handed them to her. When she walked out Tamlen and Fenarel had their hands behind their backs and she knew they were hiding something. Tamlen walked over to her first and held out a thin gold necklace with a halla pendant. She allowed him to put it on and then Fenarel gave her a bracelet that had the different Dalish gods on it.

They walked her to the main fire where the entire clan sat while Marethari stood with open arms. Lenya and Merril went with her to stand beside the Keeper while Tamlen and Fenarel went to sit amongst the clan. "We are here to do something no one has done before. We are going to offer Illea the opportunity to become one of us, one of the Dalish." Illea was puzzled because she was already as close to becoming part of the clan as custom allowed. Marethari continued with her speech. "We offer you the chance to become an elf, the chance to receive your Vallaslin and to become a hunter for our clan, and since you have magic abilities you will be able to compete to become my First." The clan clapped and cheered with joy and some even danced.

Marethari continued by saying. "We have found an ancient Elvhen ritual that will transform you into an elf just as we are. You can accept our offer or reject it, but know we do not offer this lightly. The choice is yours." Illea thought about it and she could come up with no reason not to do this. "I accept your offer" was all she said, but it was all the clan needed to hear to erupt into chaos. There was clapping, cheering, yelling and someone started to play music for dancing. While they were busy with celebration Merril, Lenya and Marethari came up to her and escorted her to The Keepers aravel. "We will do the ritual here. It will be painful, but you will be stronger, faster, smarter, and you will have pointy ears." Lenya said while smiling at her. Merril laughed and even the Keeper smiled a little. "Now we begin," said Marethari.

When she woke up the next morning, she thought last night had been some weird dream until she opened her eyes. Everything had an unusual clarity to it that she had not seen the night before. She jolted up out of the bed and when she looked at herself in the mirror, she was faced with an alien version of herself. She had the same silver eyes but they were catlike in appearance. Her entire face was catlike and her ears only added to the effect. Her eyes had cat slits instead of pupils and she looked nothing like herself.

When she moved it was fluid, graceful, and light. Her long legs attributed to the affect. Her upper body had kept its curves but the extra fat on her abdomen was now tight and muscled. While she had been marveling at her body, Tamlen had walked in, smirking. He snuck up behind her and lightly grabbed her hips making her jump. She turned in his arms and lightly smacked him on the shoulder with her open palm. "Marethari wishes to see you. You look beautiful; if my heart wasn't already taken I would fall at your feet and worship you." She smirked cockily and followed Tamlen out of her aravel.

Marethari had seated herself on a log by the edge of the main fire in camp. She waved them over when she saw them. "You will go hunting today with Tamlen and Lenya for your initiation test. Then, you will chose and receive your Vallaslin." Illea nodded and just then, Lenya arrived carrying a set of armor, or what could pass for it. A short top stopped at the top of her ribcage and a rouge style skirt. "This is your armor since you can't hunt in a dress." Lenya went with her into Tamlen's aravel since it was nearby and helped her into the armor. Then she gave her two wickedly curving swords and a longbow with a quiver.

Illea put the swords at her waist and slung the bow and quiver on her back. Tamlen nodded when she walked out and all three of them started sprinting toward the trees at the edge of camp. When they reached the edge of a clearing, they saw a whole herd of deer. Lenya and Tamlen did not draw their bows and she understood they were going to let her have a free pass. She targeted a buck with long, ivory antlers, drew in a breath, then as she let the breath out, she fired. Her target fell to the ground and she bounded over to it. She took out her hunting dagger and slit its throat. Tamlen and Lenya helped her clean and gut it then they brought the antlers, the hide, and the meat back to camp.

Tamlen took the meat to the fire to help Caira prepare it; and Lenya took the antlers to Master Ilen so he could make Illea a pendant to show for her first kill. They told her to bring the hide to Marethari and then she would pick out her Vallaslin. When she reached the fire, Marethari smiled and patted the spot beside her. "Which Vallaslin have you chosen?" Illea thought about this and soon came up with the answer. "I choose Andruil," she answered confidently. She called Lenya over who had come with Master Ilen and informed him of her decision. Then he went to work tattooing her face.

When she looked in the mirror, the tattoo did not look horrible like she had expected. It looked like braids started on her temples and went across her forehead and down her nose. Then there were two separate lines on her chin and they went along the edge of her face to meet up with the braid on her temple. They had two braids branching off them as they went up and they went across her cheekbones.

"It's beautiful," she said to Master Ilen and he smiled and began gather up his things to bring back to his aravel. When she turned around, she noticed the commotion at the edge of camp. She ran over to see what it was and what she saw was Nathaniel hanging limp between two Dalish hunters who were easily carrying his bulky form. "Wait I know him. Bring him to my aravel." They nodded their assent and followed her, then deposited him onto her bed. "Ma serranas" she said to them. They only nodded their heads and ran back to their positions.

Illea changed into the white dress, white boots, and the jewelry Tamlen and Fenarel gave her. Then, she lightly slapped Nathaniel's face to wake him up. His eyes snapped open and looked around in panic before settling on her. She walked over to him and asked, "How are you?" He looked at her in bewilderment and then she realized she had been speaking Elvish for the past few days and she had forgotten to speak in common. She repeated it again in common and he answered "Like hell. Is there a woman named Illea here?" She frowned at him while saying "I am right here Nathaniel. Much has happened, but all you need to know is your safe." He looked surprised then as he looked very close, he could see the faint similarities.

"You're an elf, what happened after you left us behind?" he asked looking paler than usual. She sighed and realized there was a downside to becoming an elf. She would have to explain this to her whole family and everyone that knew her before. "They offered me the chance to become an elf. I accepted and I received my Vallaslin earlier today since I completed my hunt." He was swaying slightly and she took a risk to walk over to him and start healing him. His eyes widened, he swatted her hands away and leaned away from her.

"I am still the same person even though I have magic. I have healed you before and it saved your life. You should at least be grateful that I told the scouts I knew you or they would have beaten you to a pulp and dumped you in the woods." She whirled around and walked out of the aravel trying to stem the angry tears flowing down her face. She knew he would not understand her gift like the Dalish did, but she thought he would at least give her time to explain before judging her.

She stopped walking and ran using the magic that connected her to the forest to guide her. She ended up at a small glade where she could feel the magic in the place. It was as if the whole place was alive in its own way. She went across the pond and sat at the base of the large tree in the middle. As she laid her head against it, she could feel it trying to reach out to her and comfort her. She entered the Fade feeling as if her whole world was going to change soon.

When she woke up after a vivid dream that still had chills crawling down her spine, she looked up to the moon. She sat up slowly and suddenly a vision overtook her. It showed her under a full moon fleeting from her home while it lay in flames. She saw men bearing a standard that she could not identify breaking down the front gate. The force on her arm trying to pull her away steadily got stronger until whoever it was, dragged her away.

Illea woke up gasping for air and she realized the vision had not taken, but forty-five minutes to her estimation. She walked back through the forest using magic to guide her and she realized that she had been using her magic too much, but she really could care less. When she got to the edge of camp, she heard murmurs of elvish floating through the air and she immediately felt at ease. As she walked to her aravel, her mind whirled trying to think of how she would explain all of this to Nathaniel. She abruptly ran out of time when she reached her aravel and opened the door to find Nathaniel awake and sitting on the bed.

He stood up and walked over to her looking like a sad puppy and her face instantly softened. "I'm sorry for the way I acted, but you don't look like_ you_ anymore. That shocked me, but when I felt you healing me, I freaked out without letting you explain." She nodded her head and he gave her a small smile. "There is nothing to explain, you know everything. The only question is if you accept me or will I give back the ring because of things I can't control." He gaped at her and when she only arched her eyebrow he found his voice and answered her. "I would never leave you because of something like that." She smiled at him, walked over to the bed, and curled up in his arms to catch up on her sleep.


End file.
